Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the US. Although medical therapy may delay disability and death, there has been no definitive therapy to improve pulmonary function in these patients. The resection of emphysematous lung parenchyma, lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS), has been reported in uncontrolled studies in highly selected emphysema patients to substantially improve parameters of pulmonary function, dyspnea, and quality of life. Numerous case series have reported significant short-term benefits. Current LVRS data regarding outcomes is limited by study design lacking parallel control groups and lack of long term data.